1. Field of the of the Present Disclosure
The disclosure relates to an optical probe based on a fiber bundle adapted to be connected to a light injection module and to a connector for such a probe.
2. Background Art
The Applicant has developed a confocal imaging system based on a fiber bundle probe for in vivo in situ imaging of biological tissues as described for example in U.S. Patent Application 2005/0242298 which is fully incorporated herein by reference. Such a system is, for example, represented schematically on FIG. 8. A laser 4 is scanned over a proximal face 112 of the fiber bundle probe 1 which is connected to a light injection module 3 via a connector 2. The light injection module 3 comprises an objective ensuring that light from the laser is properly injected into each fiber of the fiber bundle probe. Scanning the proximal face of the fiber bundle results in a fiber per fiber injection of light and at a distal end 111 of the bundle in a point per point illumination of an object under observation. As a consequence, each illuminated point of the observed object may re-emit light which is collected and transported back to the proximal end 112 of the fiber bundle via the same fiber and finally transmitted to a detector through the same scanning process. In such a confocal system, the light of the laser is injected fiber per fiber into the whole field of view of the bundle, thereby requiring a high precision in light focusing and resulting in a tolerance of about 2 μm in the probe positioning relatively to the light injection module.
Several other systems currently integrate fiber bundles connected to light sources for imaging purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,422 describes the use of a fiber probe based on a fiber bundle in reflectance imaging. U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,809 discloses an imaging system based on a fiber probe in which the scanning scheme is based on a specific Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) scanning architecture wherein each fiber core is addressed by individual mirrors of a DMD matrix.
These systems may integrate standard connectors such as Ferrule Connector/Physical Connector (FC/PC) or Sub Miniature A (SMA) connectors between the fiber bundle and the injection module. The longitudinal positioning of these connectors depends on a thread specification that may longitudinally displace about 15 μm. Therefore, using such connectors may require refocusing light and manually repositioning the fiber bundle relative to the light injection module. These manipulations may be done by skilled professionals but are not appropriate for use in a medical environment. In a medical environment, users expect an apparatus to be ready to use in a minimum amount of time and effort. Moreover, these connectors are not adapted to multiple reuse and present risks of scratching the fiber bundle proximal face.
The Applicant proposes hereinunder a connector between a fiber bundle probe and a light injection module capable of improving positioning accuracy, repeatability and resistance to shocks and vibrations. The Applicant also proposes a fiber bundle probe adapted to said connector.